A Question of Destiny
by MelodyWinters
Summary: In his final hours, Hige realizes what matters most. It only takes a few tries for him to find out.


_A/N: Hello there! This is my first Wolf's Rain story. I hope I did okay. I will admit, I am not 100% pleased with it. After having stumbled across the show, I immediately fell in love with it. And to find a fandom here!! How awesome is that! _

_I hope the style isn't to confusing. I used the repeating scene idea and used the last episode for reference. _

**For those who have not seen the show yet... this may be considered a SPOILER!**

_**Read on and enjoy. Please feel free to review. Review feeds the soul and lets me know if I am on the right train or not!**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Wolf's Rain!**_

_**oOoOo**_

_**A Question of Destiny**_

"We are all vital, Hige. Every last one of us."

Kiba's words echoed through Hige's mind when he stared into Darcia's sinister orbs.

_But how am I vital?_ he wondered_. I have betrayed them. They will never forgive me. Why should they? _He sighed, disillusioned.

He thought of the other members of the pack. Cheza, the flower maiden, was their sole purpose for existing. Kiba believed that they all played a role during their search for Paradise. She was why Hige returned to the group after everything he put them through. He was a prisoner of fate and he would fight to the end.

With a warrior growl, Hige lunged at Darcia. He felt his body thrown back to the ground.

Then there was darkness.

oOo

Hige's eyes snapped open. Surprised, and somewhat relieved, he found himself sitting amongst the pack once more.

_What happened? _he asked himself. _Everything felt so real. And Darcia.... _He shivered and switched his focus to those that surrounded him. After doing a head count, he gasped. "Toboe."

Tsume verbally attacked Hige though he had no right to speak their deceased friend's name. Hige shrank back and stared at the ground.

"This was all a mistake. I should never have returned to the pack," he muttered.

Blue brushed her body against Hige's. He looked at her, feeling a spark of electricity exchange between them. She stare back, and a certain sadness glistened in her sky blue eyes.

"I know you want to go to Paradise as well," she declared, frustration dripping off each word.

He sighed. It wasn't because he wanted to. There was no place for him in a land of purity and beauty. In spite of that, he felt compelled to complete the journey.

That's when Kiba told him: "We are all vital."

Hige didn't believe that.

He was nothing.

However, he still followed them all.

When Darcia showed up in Wolf form he put aside his self pity and stood bravely next to Kiba.

_I have to make it up to Kiba and the others for all that I have done to them. For my betrayals, _Hige thought as he lunged at Darcia. _I will not let him touch the flower maiden._ _She is the reason why I am here. For her!_

Hige felt his body flung through the air before falling into blackness.

oOo

The second Hige opened his eyes, he found himself starring up at Darcia. Ears pinned, lips tightly pulled back in a warning snarl, flashing his large fangs, Hige stood his ground. A vicious growl rumbled deep within his throat as the fur stood up on his neck.

_I got to protect Cheza. I cannot fail this time._

He watched steadily as Darcia advanced with unmatched confidence. Hige lunged for Darcia's neck. Sinking his teeth into the strong skin, he immediately found himself rewarded with the metallic taste of blood. The sounds of Darcia's jaws snapping, and his angry growl did not stop Hige.

"You will not have her!" Hige cried out while the two struggled, toppling through the snow.

"Fool!" Darcia cackled evilly. He found solid footing and reached for Hige, grabbing him by a hind leg. Hige felt helpless as his body flew over the large wolf's back and thrown through the air. He hit the ground hard. Through his blurry vision, he watched Blue attack Darcia. The air was filled with her painful yelp and Cheza's scream of terror.

Hige tried to call to Blue, but could not find the strength. He felt himself being pulled away from everything. The last thing he saw was Darcia working his way back up the mountain side with Cheza held tightly in his mouth.

_I have failed_, was his final thoughts before he was lost into total blackness.

oOo

Hige woke up from his dream and looked over the small pack. Maybe his part in this whole twisted plot fate has created for them was not to protect Cheza.

But where exactly did Hige fit in?

The very moment Darcia appeared on the snowy mountain shelf, Kiba instructed for_ him_ to take Cheza and Blue and keep them safe. As the huge wolf advanced towards them, Blue attacked first before Hige could stop her. Hige placed himself in front of Cheza and watched Blue tossed through the air, landing with a thud and a pain filled yelp.

That is when Hige had an epiphany. It was not Cheza he was meant to protect. It was Blue.

With a loud growl, he fiercely fought and struggled against Darcia. Determination pushed him on.

"You will pay for hurting her!" he cried out when they bit and clawed at each other. Darcia laughed evilly and with a mighty heave, rammed his body into Hige, sending the brown wolf crashing to the ground.

To prove Hige wrong, Darcia went to Blue, where she laid struggling to get to her feet. Through blurry eyes, Hige watched in horror as Darcia bent down and snapped his jaws around her neck for one last attack.

"NO!" Hige managed to scream scrambling to an upright position. But he was too late. Darcia already captured the flower maiden and climbed the mountain side.

"Go after him," Hige begged Kiba, his voice strained. Then, sadly he added, "I will look after Blue."

Kiba nodded understanding. Hige dragged his beaten body to Blue and sat beside her, leaning against a snow covered rock.

Blue used the last of her strength to push her muzzle towards Hige's body, searching for comfort.

"Is that you, Hige?" she asked, her voice no louder than a whisper.

"Yes," he told her. He laid his head gently along her side as she begged him to stay.

"I'm not going anywhere. Don't worry," Hige assured her. "Like I promised. I will never leave you."

He pushed his nose against her in a comforting manner. He breathed in her scent and tears pooled in his eyes. He sighed somberly. He thought to himself,_ Why was I so blind? It was you all along, Blue. You are the reason why I am here. And now I am going to lose you. _He pressed harder against Blue, desperate to make the most of their last moments together. She was the only one that believed in him. She remained with him despite all that he did.

Hige reached out and licked her cheek tenderly in a kiss.

"Blue," he uttered. "I... Love you."

Her eyes flickered at the sound of his soothing voice. He thought he saw a hint of a smile tug on the corner of her lips. It was all he needed to know to realize she heard him and felt the same way. Hige closed his eyes and hummed a tune that he heard Cheza sing. The notes caught in his throat as he felt her body tremble harder, her breathing grow more irregular. Soon, her body became still, lifeless. Hige gathered a small amount of energy left in him, and howled a sad farewell to his friend. He stayed with her until he heard his name being called in the distance.

"Hige!" Tsume cried, loping up to them. Fear filled his voice. He assessed the situation. Hige tried to explain what happened. "Don't talk!" he ordered. Tsume looked over at Blue and gasped. "Is she..."

Hige nodded. "She's gone, Tsume," he whispered.

Tsume turned his attention back to Hige. "Let me help you," he demanded, his voice more gruff and intense than ever.

Hige slowly shook his head. "I want you to do it," he begged his comrade. "Please. I'm dying and I am in pain."

Tsume stared into Hige's eyes, unsure what to do.

"Please," Hige pressed with more intensity. "I... I want to be with Blue."

Tsume gritted his teeth, hesitating. Finally, he snapped his jaws around Hige's thick neck and bit down hard. Hige welcomed his friend's final gift.

As he whispered his final departing words to Tsume, his thoughts already floated to his soul mate. If they could not be together in this life time, he would sacrifice and move on with confidence they would meet in the after life.

After all, _she _had been and forever would be his destiny.


End file.
